When we first started to participate in Heritage Open Days, some ten years ago, we and the Civic Society (who opened up the old Pound in Grove Hill Road) were the only participants. Initially through the energetic efforts of John Cunningham, then Chairman of the Civic Society, the event has grown year by year until this year a great many buildings were opened to the public. There were also events such as Dennis Penfold’s walk around the Erskine Park estate in Rusthall and David Wakefield’s walk visiting sites associated with Tunbridge Ware manufacturers in Tunbridge Wells.
I had said that, as an octogenarian, I felt that I should gently retire from organising this year’s event at St. Barnabas. However, in the difficult situation in which we find ourselves it would have been cowardly not to have had one more effort, and fortunately I have been given terrific support by quite a large team. As ever, Carole Leith has been foremost in making sure that everything has been attended to, and she also came up with some bright ideas, not least the serving of refreshments which, despite some misgivings, turned out to be a great success. Sue Skomorowski our sacristan brought out some of our beautiful vestments and the Copus family’s lay figure (fondly nicknamed Gregory) had his annual outing, this year accompanied by a “manikin” brought along by Tom Kempster. I particularly admired the magnificent golden cope, adorned with a stunning embroidered “pelican in her piety” – that is, a pelican feeding her young by tearing at her breast, anciently a favourite symbol of Christ feeding his flock.
We were greatly assisted by two former members of the congregation. Geoffrey Ravenhill came to show us how to erect his display units (no mean feat) and Brian Johnson spent many hours, not only in helping to put up displays but also in showing visitors round. We coped too with many staunch cyclists and walkers taking part in the annual “Ride and Stride” event in aid of the Friends of Kent Churches. Our own Sarah Mott participated and has raised over £200, half of which will be coming to St. Barnabas. June Bridgeman’s display about Woodbury Park Cemetery had generated much interest last year, and she kindly participated again, with a new display including one about Canon Hoare and his family. That was in its way quite apposite, since the Canon had been a sturdy opponent of the foundation of our parish and the building of the church. David Bartholomew and Christopher Cassidy, whose wonderful collection of photographs of St. Barnabas has recently gone on to their website thetunbridgewellsproject, also had a stand. We were all set by the deadline of 10 am on the Saturday, all of our stewards who had promised to come duly turned up, and our first visitors arrived very soon afterwards – such a relief as at one stage I always feel “will anyone really come to see our beautiful church in this rather out-of-the-way spot?”
Well, in the event all our hard work was worthwhile, because on the Saturday in particular we had a good stream of visitors. Our team chatted to many of them and we met some very interesting people – as always, these included quite a number who said that although they lived locally, they had never been in the building before. We had not given any specific times for the guided tours but were generally able to do these on request, and here Lucy Hession was persuaded to do her first solo events, and Brian Johnson, a veteran from previous occasions, also took people round. I must have made a dozen trips down to the Mortuary Chapel myself – who needs to go to a gym when you can get as much exercise as you need climbing up and down those steep stone steps? As always, visitors were surprised and impressed by the beauty of that little Chapel which, despite having seen so much human grief, is nevertheless so peaceful.
The photocopies of the sketchbooks of the local architect Charles Hilbert Strange, the originals of which were recently sent to me from a descendant in Australia, to be deposited in the Museum, were on display and generated much interest. As always, former pupils of our School were fascinated by the copies of their records, and several visitors found references to members of their family. The account books of Kempsters were again on view – the amount of useful information for family historians which is tucked away in them is quite remarkable, and includes much detail which is unlikely to be found elsewhere. Fortunately too we had on sale our colourful new Guide and quarterly Parish Magazine, plus a CD of over 100 School photos from past times.
Being able to offer refreshments – superb home-made cakes as well as tea, coffee and soft drinks – was a bonus, and Tom Kempster had provided a wonderful accompanying slide-show. This included what must have been hundreds of photographs, ranging from views of the old St. Stephen’s Mission Church which had been built in 1870, right up to events which had taken place a few weeks ago.
We trust that our efforts this year, in which so many of our loyal congregation participated, have helped to demonstrate that, despite some problems – not least, temporarily being without a resident parish priest at present – the Church is very much alive. We certainly intend to remain and to flourish, faithful to the aspirations of our founding fathers – a bastion of the Catholic tradition within the Church of England.
Geoffrey Copus 12 September 2011
In case you have not already seen this about the mortuary chapel, it is worth a read CLICK HERE
To learn more about the history of St Barnabas Tunbridge Wells CLICK HERE
